Question about t5 fixtures.

[FiremanRick]

Im considering making a suspended canopy for our 200 deep dimension, that currently is way under lit with kessil lights. It's a fish only that we want to start adding coral. I want to add some t5 fixures. Don't need them to be programmable because I can control them with my controller. My question is, why pay several hundred for a single t5 fixture that is sold for fish tanks when Home Depot has high output fixtures for under $100?? Salt creep isn't an issue on this tank because it has a glass top.

 

[Sabellafella]

Im considering making a suspended canopy for our 200 deep dimension, that currently is way under lit with kessil lights. It's a fish only that we want to start adding coral. I want to add some t5 fixures. Don't need them to be programmable because I can control them with my controller. My question is, why pay several hundred for a single t5 fixture that is sold for fish tanks when Home Depot has high output fixtures for under $100?? Salt creep isn't an issue on this tank because it has a glass top.

Just build them yourself =) or home depot got those 40 dollar hardlined fixtures you can buy.

 

[FiremanRick]

I just want to make sure there isn't some magic fairies in the reef specific lighting fixtures that make them work for fish tanks, or some weird anomaly in the home depot fixtures that will make them kill everything and burn my neighborhood down. The price difference is so great that it makes me wonder why anyone would pay $1200 for a programmable ATI fixture when you can buy the same thing at Home Depot for 1/10 of the cost. Less the programmability of course.

 

[gus6464]

Except HD lights are nothing like ATI lights. They are $100 for a reason.

 

[FiremanRick]

Except HD lights are nothing like ATI lights. They are $100 for a reason.

Why?? Thats what I want to know. We have Home Depot t5 highbay lights at the firehouse. Been hanging for years and never had an issue.

 

[TheEngineer]

Why?? Thats what I want to know. We have Home Depot t5 highbay lights at the firehouse. Been hanging for years and never had an issue.

I've wondered that too. Except for maybe the reflectors and the dimming ballast what is different?

 

[gus6464]

ATI lights use programmed start ballasts and miro-silver reflectors. Just because you can pop a T5 bulb on both doesn't mean they are the same. Cheap lights come with rapid start ballasts which kills bulbs twice as fast. Also the reflector won't be as strong. If you have a shallow tank it's not a big deal but you still need to do a ballast upgrade.

On a programmed start ballast you replace bulbs once a year. On rapid start you are doing it every 6 months.

ATI units also use active cooling. While this is not a big deal if you do not use a splash guard some people need to have one to combat salt creep so active cooling is required. Bulbs need to have an ambient temp of 35C to operate at peak efficiency. Too hot or too cold and output suffers. Too cold and output is low, too hot and bulbs won't last long.

 

[Sabellafella]

I just want to make sure there isn't some magic fairies in the reef specific lighting fixtures that make them work for fish tanks, or some weird anomaly in the home depot fixtures that will make them kill everything and burn my neighborhood down. The price difference is so great that it makes me wonder why anyone would pay $1200 for a programmable ATI fixture when you can buy the same thing at Home Depot for 1/10 of the cost. Less the programmability of course.

Well with an ati fixture, it covers your bulb cooling, your programming, reflectors, prob not burn your house down unless you trust yourself with doing the work with the hd fixture. If your using t5s as a supplement, brs sells a good diy kit with good parts

 

[FiremanRick]

This is the kind of info I was looking for. Thanks gents.

The higher quality ballasts make sense, but I can replace a lot of bulbs before getting close to the cost of the super expensive fixtures.

Diy projects are definitely in my wheelhouse. If I can build it rather than buy it, I'm game. Just need to make sure that my diy version will be able to get the job done.

 

[TheEngineer]

You can do your DIY with a dimmable ATI ballast.

 

[gus6464]

You want to make yourself a cheap and good T5 fixture then look at a hydrofarm T5 unit but it will need some upgrades.

Assuming you need 48".
https://www.amazon.com/Agrobrite-FL...=1480702961&sr=8-9&keywords=hydrofarm+t5&th=1

Then you have to get two of these at your local HD.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...last-496877/202977284?keyword=philips+centium

When you open the fixture for the swap you will notice that the t5 endcaps are shunted. That is because rapid start ballasts require it. To make them unshunted all you do is remove all the wiring from the endcap including the small connector wiring from one pin to the other one. Take out the crap fulham workhorse ballasts and put in the centiums and rewire it. Just follow the wire diagram on the ballast.

At the end you will have a great fixture for $250. It's not going to be ATI Sunpower strong but it will be Giesemann Matrixx II strong. If you own a tank under 20" tall this is the way to go. If your tank is taller you will need to go ATI.

 

[gus6464]

This is the kind of info I was looking for. Thanks gents.

The higher quality ballasts make sense, but I can replace a lot of bulbs before getting close to the cost of the super expensive fixtures.

Diy projects are definitely in my wheelhouse. If I can build it rather than buy it, I'm game. Just need to make sure that my diy version will be able to get the job done.

That is not entirely correct. A 4ft sunpower is $500. If you have an 8 bulb unit you are dropping $320 a year on bulb replacement with a rapid start ballast. The break even point is 2 years and you will still end up with a crappier performing fixture over the ATI.

 

[FiremanRick]

Hmm...

 

[gus6464]

Another thing about the ATI is that if you buy non dimmable sunpower it is super easy to work on. The light will last you forever. If a ballast goes out it's a cheap $20 replacement. Your reflectors get tarnished (and they will), you order new ones from ATI. A non dim sunpower is a very simple device. Ballast, endcap, reflector, fan, wire, splash guard (acrylic sheet). That's it. Other than the reflector all the parts can be purchased without going through ATI.

 

[bif24701]

Why not go with a couple retro fit kits?

 

[FiremanRick]

Just trying to see what I could come up with for different options. Wanted to know what the differences were. Knowing the fact that Home Depot fixtures can't handle the 10k bulbs is important. Knowing about the fancy ballasts is important. This hobby can destroy a budget, so if I was hoping that the price difference was due to fancy programmers, salt resistant housings, and super cool name plates. I have a $20 purple grow light from eBay on my algae scrubber that grows so much algae it's crazy, and it has nothing to do with reef tanks.

 

[gus6464]

Retro kits are also good if you can make yourself a canopy and can be cheaper if you know where to source parts. All you need is wiring (600v 18ga solid core only), endcaps, ballast, and reflector. This is a retro I did for a canopy with an AP700 and quad T5.

Ballasts are Philips Advanced Centium ICN-2S39T. Endcaps are hamilton waterproof. Reflectors are coralvue. The coralvue reflectors actually look almost identical to ATI with the same angles. I got them for $10 ea.

The canopy is actively cooled with 3x Noctua NF-P14 fans controlled by Apex.

 

[james983]

I always search for a cheaper alternative but I have learned sometimes going cheaper is more costly long range. ATI fixtures are expensive, no doubt but they are the industry standard for good reason.

 

[FiremanRick]

Retro kits are also good if you can make yourself a canopy and can be cheaper if you know where to source parts. All you need is wiring (600v 18ga solid core only), endcaps, ballast, and reflector. This is a retro I did for a canopy with an AP700 and quad T5.

Ballasts are Philips Advanced Centium ICN-2S39T. Endcaps are hamilton waterproof. Reflectors are coralvue. The coralvue reflectors actually look almost identical to ATI with the same angles. I got them for $10 ea.

The canopy is actively cooled with 3x Noctua NF-P14 fans controlled by Apex.

Do you find these do a good job? BRS has several retrofit kits that would work perfect for my situation and I would love the project.

 

[gus6464]

Do you find these do a good job? BRS has several retrofit kits that would work perfect for my situation and I would love the project.

Yeah they are nice reflectors. The problem with BRS retro kits is that they are not cheap. $200 for a LET Miro-4 4x24W kit is steep. I did the retro above for half the price.